George drummed his fingers against the steering wheel trying to get a hold of… whatever exactly this mix of emotions was. That's the thing about having a lot of kids. Tricks you into thinking you know what you're doing. And then you're blindsided by something you thought you were old hat at.

The phrase had been such a joke to him when he was a kid but, the thing was, they really DO grow up so fast. Impossible fast.

And it's worse after the first one. Like you take your eyes off the new baby for a second to help the older one with their juice box and suddenly, boom, you look back and the baby's already walking and talking and running off without you and you feel like you missed everything. And no matter how much you tell yourself that this time you'll pay more attention, you'll figure out how to make it last somehow, you still find yourself on a Friday afternoon waiting to pick up your baby boy at the airport and instead this young man almost as tall as you comes out the door and you have to keep yourself from getting choked up right there in Arrivals.

Traffic was moving painfully slow on the highway and George glanced over at his youngest son. It was the size thing. The scale of him was the hardest part to wrap his head around. Bow had moved the seat back and even so his knees were right up against the glove box. But it wasn't just that he was taller. He was… longer, leaner. More muscle too but that always happened after he came back from archery camp.

It felt like some kind of trick. Like he'd dropped a kid off at that camp and they'd spit back out an honest to goodness teen.

At least Bow had always grasped the concept of deodorant and personal hygiene, which was more than George could say for most of his siblings. Thank goodness for small miracles.

Still wearing the crop top though. George exhaled. Self-expression and all that! They'd never squash any of their kids' individuality but Lance and he had sort of been hoping he'd outgrow that one. Still, if it made him happy.

"…but I had no trouble with the recurve this summer, even the longbow, so I guess I'm getting stronger. I know Coach wants us to get used to both but the compound is a pain to lug around and the camp ones kept breaking." Bow was flicking his nail against the new calluses on his hand while he talked. It reminded George so vividly of when he was little with a bow no longer than Lance's forearm, jabbing at the blisters on his fingers and willing them to harden so he could shoot without it hurting like the bigger kids. "Plus the wooden ones just feel more powerful even if… Dad, are you okay?" Bow stopped his running monologue to look over at him.

"Yup. Just allergies." George cleared his throat, using a knuckle to brush away a little emotional moisture. "Somebody's burning leaves or something. So… no trouble even with the longbow, that's great."

Not that there was anything wrong with showing emotion. They'd drilled that into all their kids, regardless of gender, since they were babies. But one thing he did know for sure from all these kids is that no teenager who thinks of himself as practically grown him wants his dad cooing over how big he looks.

"Yeah. It was cool." Bow's right knee was bouncing up and down like a hyperactive rabbit. His thumb was sliding up and down the side of his phone case like he was willing it to buzz. "I can't wait to show Glimmer. She's not going to believe how much better I've gotten."

George resisted the urge to groan aloud. He'd be almost impressed they'd made it this far into the car ride without Bow mentioning their next door neighbor if he hadn't mentioned her three times before they'd even gotten into the car. He'd texted Glimmer that he'd arrived before he'd texted them for goodness sake!

"Do you think she'll be home when we get there? I mean, she said she would but I don't know."

"Yeah, I think she'll be there." What was the kid worried about? Like she didn't live right next door?

"I shouldn't have gone away to camp. We missed so much time together! There's only a month left of summer."

"Well, the camp was compulsory if you want to stay on the team. And a month is still a long time."

"But I haven't seen her since Spring Break!" Bow flipped his phone over, unlocked it, and immediately set it down again. "Do you think she'll be mad at me?"

She might be. She was kind of a powder keg, that one. But George kept those thoughts to himself. He hadn't actually seen Glimmer for more than a few minutes here and there since she'd come home from school, almost like the kid holed up in her house like a hermit when Bow wasn't there to hang out with. "I think she understands being on the archery team important to you. Besides, didn't you talk to her from camp?"

"Of course! We facetimed every night! It's just…" It didn't seem possible but he seemed to be bouncing his leg even faster now, his eyes fixed on the landscape. Every night? His own fathers had only gotten the occasional text! "I want to see her and hug her and hang out and… I really don't want her to be mad at me."

"Well, I'm sure it will be fine." George wished he had a legitimate reason for feeling as irritated about this conversation as he did.

Glimmer was a lovely girl. She and Bow had been best friends since they were both in diapers. Used to be inseparable until her father died and her mother sent her away to some snooty all-girls boarding school George knew exactly nothing about except that the cell reception was spotty, a thing they heard about daily while she was away. And because they didn't see each other all school year, Glimmer completely monopolized Bow's time when she came home on breaks. And for the entire summer.

George leaned against the window and rubbed the bridge of his nose. There was that bitterness again. They just played video games and watched cheesy movies. Sometimes they walked across the neighborhood to the deli that sold ice cream. It's not like they were out doing drugs or whatever the hell else kids their age got up to these days.

It's just that Bow was HIS son, damn it, and getting bigger every single day, and would it kill him to spend a little time with his old man while he was home for the summer before the whole nest was empty?

"Say, Bow." He plucked at his mustache, acting casual. "How about we go for a drive this weekend? We could hit up the good flea market, see if we can pick up anything your dad can flip on eBay. Stop at every scenic overlook we pass, take silly pictures. Just like we'd do before everyone moved out. Then maybe go get a big brunch at that place with the big pirate statue out front. Remember how you used to be obsessed with that when you were little?"

Bow made a non-committal sound. "I don't know, dad. I mean, I love to hang out with you guys but we have the whole school year to do stuff like that. I was kind of planning on doing stuff with Glimmer this weekend."

"You're always busy during the school year! Meets and schoolwork and clubs and…" George was being petty and ridiculous and he KNEW it but he couldn't seem to stop himself. He lived with the kid, for goodness sake! It wasn't like he wasn't going to see plenty of him. Hadn't he and Lance dreamed of these days? During the height of the kid chaos, they'd have killed for some time alone! Except now that it was here, he found himself longing for the chaos again. "What about your friends from school? Are you going to see any of them this summer?"

"I see my school friends every single day during the year." They were pulling onto their street now and Bow was fidgeting like a puppy who'd just heard they were going for a walk. "They're… I mean… It's Glimmer? It's different. Hey, there she is!"

"Hold on! At least let me stop the car!"

Bow threw off his seat-belt and had flung open the car door before it had even fully rolled to a stop. There was no missing that bright pink and purple hair even without its owner jumping up and down and waving at the edge of their driveway. Apparently, she wasn't growing out of that phase either.

George turned the key in the ignition and watched as Bow tackled Glimmer, cradling her head with his arm as they crashed onto the lawn in a giggling heap. Lance appeared in the doorway with a dishtowel slung over his shoulder and waved. His husband watched what had become some kind of wrestling / grass fight with a bemused expression.

George threw the door open and went for the backseat, yanking out bags and bows and quivers.

"Bow, go help with your stuff!" called Lance. "I don't want your dad carrying too much with that shoulder."

"My shoulder is fine!" Such a worry wort. He'd only told him about that old war injury because he was trying to pick him up, and now he was going to get fussed over about it for the rest of eternity. "But knock it off anyway, you two. You're wrecking my lawn."

"Wait, dad, we're coming." Bow scrambled back to his feet and offered a hand. Glimmer was so much smaller than him now, he practically lifted her off the ground one handed, pulling her into a hug as she shrieked with surprise.

They trotted over to the car and George begrudgingly handed off some bags. Did they even notice they were still holding hands? Was it better or worse if they did?

The three of them tromped into the entryway and deposited Bow's stuff by the basement door. Something beeped in the kitchen and Lance disappeared to putter and bang pots around and probably put all the utensils back facing the wrong way.

"When did you get so GIANT?" Glimmer asked, still breathless, as she kicked off her shoes. "You're like… my Bow but all stretched out!"

Bow laughed. "Sorry!"

HER Bow. Like she had more of a claim on him than they did? George grabbed the bag with Bow's bow and quiver and slammed it back down on its hook in the garage.

"It's not a bad thing it's just… a thing."

"Yeah, well, you're…" There was a half a second beat where Bow hesitated and George noticed that even though Glimmer was as tiny as ever, she'd changed too. Filled out that pink sundress a lot more than she had last year. "…even tinier now. Still carry size!"

Bow lunged for Glimmer and picked her up onto his shoulder, spinning her around as she shrieked, and then he dropped her on the living room couch. She made a sound of annoyance but there was no hiding the grin on her face. "I can't believe I haven't seen you in months and this is how you greet me!"

"Ha." He leaped like he was going to sit on her but she shrieked and rolled out of the way. He plopped down onto the couch next to her. "You love me."

"I do." She poked him in the shoulder with her stockinged toe and then lay her feet on his lap.

Bow put his hand on her foot and shook it. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too. And now you're all mine until September!"

"You got it."

George grabbed the bag with Bow's dirty laundry and tromped down into the basement. Normally the kids did their own laundry but he needed something to keep himself busy before he snapped at somebody for no good reason.

"Wait, Dad, I've got it!" Bow launched himself over the couch— WHERE did these kids get all this energy?— and grabbed the bag out of his hands. He trampled down the stairs, Glimmer following right behind like it was just a given they'd never see one without the other for the next four weeks. George kicked off his shoes and hung up his jacket. When he peeked back into the basement, he saw Bow loading his stuff into the washing machine while telling some animated story about a party he certainly hadn't told his own father about while Glimmer sat perched atop the dryer laughing, her eyes practically sparkling.

George went into the kitchen and grabbed himself a mug, shutting the cabinet with probably a bit more force than was strictly necessary. "I suppose she's staying for dinner."

Lance looked up from whatever he was sauteing. "Might as well. I haven't asked yet but I think Bow would like that. Besides, Angella's been so busy with the new launch, the kid's been eating microwave dinners by herself for weeks."

"I thought they had a personal chef?"

"Not since Micah died. Something about raising her daughter with a sense of personal responsibility?" Lance pulled a face. "I don't pretend to know what goes on in Angella's head. Either way, as far as I'm concerned, Glimmer's always welcome. I'm not going to let our boy's best friend sit in that big house all by herself no matter what lesson she's supposed to be learning from it. I love Angella but she puts too much pressure on that girl. She's a KID! "

The microwave beeped and George yanked the door open. He jabbed his tea bag into the hot water. "Why don't you just let her move in?"

Lance jabbed an accusatory spoon in his direction. "What's your problem, Mr. Grumpy? I thought you said yesterday it was too quiet here now that the kids are grown?"

"Well, yeah but—"

"Dad!" Bow tromped up the basement stairs, his new size giving him the ability to sound even more like a herd of elephants than usual. "Can Glimmer sleepover?"

George exhaled and leaned back onto the counter. "Bow, you're starting high school in a year. Aren't you two getting a little old for sleepovers?"

"Pleaseeeeeeeee?" Not too old to still do those puppy eyes. That was the kicker, wasn't it? That they got so damned big but still had those same big eyes you'd never been able to say no to since day one. George glanced over at his husband, looking for a little support, but he was doing them too. A goddamn conspiracy is what it was.

"Alright, fine. As long as Angella says OK." George dipped his teabag one more time and then chucked it in the trash. "And make sure Glimmer knows she's welcome for dinner too."

"Yesss! Thank you, dad!" Bow gave them both a hug and, wow, an actual kiss on the cheek! They hardly EVER got those anymore. Almost made it worth it. "I promise we won't stay up too late and we won't be too loud and we won't play truth and dare so nobody will fall off the roof again!"

"Mmhmm," George said, taking a sip of his tea. "Just go put away your shoes so I don't break my neck on them later."

"Okay!" He scampered out of the kitchen, as much as almost six feet of teenage boy can scamper.

Glimmer appeared from where ever she'd been eavesdropping. At least the kid had the sense to look sheepish about it. "Thanks, Mr. Hart."

"Anytime, Glimmer!" Lance said, smiling warmly. His husband had never made it a secret that he adored their neighbor's daughter.

Boy, she really did look all grown-up too, didn't she? Like a real young lady. But George could still see the other Glimmer when he looked at her. The feral little thing with pigtails bouncing as she and Bow tore across the lawn. The awkward tween with braces standing in their doorway in her purple nightgown asking if she could stay over. Scared out of her mind of being home alone after some mix-up with a babysitter but pretending she wasn't.

That little firecracker.

George smiled and reached out an arm. "It's good to see you, Glimmer. You're always welcome here. Sorry, I didn't give you a proper hello before. I'm getting cantankerous in my old age."

She grinned and hugged him around his middle, tight enough that he almost spilled his tea. "Are you sure you don't mind? I feel bad that I always, like, hog Bow when I'm home."

"Nah, you kids go have fun!" He glanced over at the doorway where Bow was beaming at Glimmer.

"See you later, dads! We're going upstairs to play Mario Kart!" He grabbed Glimmer's hand and tugged her toward the staircase. George listened to their voices receding as they disappeared up the stairs, never telling go of each other's hand.

"I don't know why I bother racing with you, I lose every single time!"

"Only because you insisted on making your Mii taller than mine which doesn't even make sense! Smaller means faster! Come on, Glimmer, let me fix it for you!"

"Never!"

Their feet tromped above the kitchen, their laughing floating down from upstairs. George realized he was grinning and growled, taking another bitter sip of tea. His husband was laughing so hard he was practically squeaking.

George glared at him but there wasn't any malice in it. "Glad at least someone is amused."

"Oh, come on. We've been through this TWELVE times already! You can't tell me you're surprised!"

"I just… I wasn't mentally… He still seemed so little and I thought we had more time before we lost him to dating and crushes and…" He set down his mug, the tears coming for real now. Lance tutted and pulled him into a hug. George sniffled into his husband's shoulder. "When did he get so BIG? My baby…"

"Now, come on. You're being dramatic. They're still kids!" Lance kissed him on his forehead and rubbed his back. "It could be worse! Remember when he had that crush on the boy from drama camp? The one who got suspending for setting fire to the dumpster outside the school?"

George pulled away to look at Lance. "I thought we agreed to never speak of that."

"Besides, I think we have time. Knowing those two, it'll take them ages to figure it out anyway." Lance laughed and went back to stirring vegetables. "And if it doesn't, well… then we get to do it all over again with grandkids!"

George groaned. "Don't even joke about that!"